Vincha, Kingdom of Divinium, Eastern region of Rohana Federation, 2051 S.C., 170th day

  Heron woke to light streaming through the window right onto his face. The room was quiet except for Almir's steady breathing from the upper bunk. Richard's bed was already empty, and Icarus was gone as well.

  The door opened, and Richard stepped inside.

  "Good morning," Richard said quietly. "Almir still asleep?"

  "I think so," Heron replied.

  "Let him rest." Richard leaned against the doorframe. "I have a meeting to attend to, so you have a day off."

  "Day off?" Heron asked.

  "Yes, so do whatever you like till dinner. Icarus is already downstairs. The women are in their room. You can do what you want until evening meal, just be back by the eighteenth hour."

  Heron got dressed and followed Richard downstairs. The tavern's main hall was quieter in the morning, with only a handful of travelers nursing mugs of tea or coffee. Icarus sat at a corner table, his hands folded in his lap.

  Almir came down shortly after, and once the women joined them, Richard gathered everyone together over breakfast.

  "As I said, I've got business today. The rest of you have the day off. Just be back before the evening meal."

  "Can we visit the railway station?" Heron asked as he turned to others. "Almir, you’ve said we'd visit."

  "Right." Almir nodded. "I asked around last night. A steamwagon usually comes around midday, so we can go there later and see it."

  "Any questions?" Richard asked after explaining the schedule.

  Lucia raised her hand. "So we're free until evening?"

  "Yes."

  "I'm going to explore the local market," Lucia said immediately.

  "I'd like to visit the herb shop," Irene added. "I heard they have supplies we can't get in Jamtara."

  "I'll join you," Lucia said. "Market and herbs sound better than watching trains."

  "What about you, Icarus?" Richard asked.

  "I'm staying here. Going to rest."

  Richard turned to Almir and May. "Can I trust that two of you will go with Heron then? Not that I don’t think he can’t take care of himself, but he is technically our client, so can’t let him go wander around alone."

  "Yeah, you can entrust us with the task," Almir said. "We'll head out around the eleventh hour."

  "Don't be late for dinner," Richard said.

  The morning passed slowly. Heron tried to make conversation with Icarus, but the man seemed content to sit in silence. By the time the eleventh hour approached, Heron was already waiting by the tavern entrance.

  May appeared first, adjusting her coat. "Ready, Hikki?"

  "Yes, I’ve been doing nothing for the past hour."

  "You could have done some stretching and exercise,” May smiled.

  "Now that you mentioned it, I could have,” Heron nodded, blushing a bit for not thinking of it himself.

  Almir joined them moments later. "Let's go. Don't want to miss it."

  They walked through the streets of Vincha, heading north. The village looked different in daylight with the tar lamps standing dormant along the roads.

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  "So where is this railway station?" Heron asked.

  "Outside the village proper," Almir said.

  "Why?"

  "Vincha doesn't use crystal technology, so the station is located outside," Almir responded. "The kingdom's royalty funds these stations with citizens operating them. Think of it as a small piece of the city planted out here."

  They passed through Vincha's northern gate, where the wooden walls gave way to open land. The road continued for another fifteen minutes before the station came into view.

  Heron stopped.

  The building stood in sharp contrast to everything in the village. The railway station rose with an altogether different character. Its facade was pale stone, two stories tall, with arched windows running along the upper floors. A central clock tower crowned the structure, its entrance was framed by a grand portico supported by columns, and above it, ornate ironwork spelled out "Vincha Station" in elegant script.

  "It looks like it belongs in a city," Heron said quietly.

  "The kingdom built these stations to the same standard everywhere. This one is smaller, though," Almir said.

  "Are we just going to stare at it, or are we going in?" May gestured toward the building. "Come on. Let's go inside."

  The interior opened into a broad hall with high ceilings supported by iron beams. Crystal lamps hung at intervals, though dormant in the daylight. Polished stone floors reflected the light streaming through tall windows. A long ticket counter ran along one wall, attended by a single clerk in uniform. Wooden crates and sacks of grain were stacked near the walls, awaiting shipment. A few merchants stood in small groups, negotiating or reviewing manifests, while villagers in simple work clothes moved about with hand carts.

  Heron immediately noticed that he, Almir, and May stood out in their clothes and weapons.

  "Not many people travel through here," Almir said quietly. "Vincha station exists mostly to ship produce and receive supplies. You won't see many passengers."

  "This way," Almir continued, leading them toward the platform.

  They passed through an archway and emerged onto the loading platform. It stretched the length of the building, elevated above the tracks. A covered awning protected the area from the elements, supported by iron pillars. Stacks of cargo lined the platform—barrels, crates, bundles of wool. Workers with hand carts moved goods into position, preparing for the steamwagon's arrival.

  "The steamwagons run on schedule," Almir explained. "Every six hours, one passes through heading east toward Tejen. Every six hours, one heads west toward Reigtag."

  "How fast do they travel?" Heron asked.

  "Faster than any steampulley," May said. "You can cross in a day what would take four on foot."

  "Now I feel bad that we aren’t using them," Heron slumped.

  Almir laughed. "Well, they have specific routes. Richard wanted us to go on foot so you’d see more of Divinium. I think after Tejen we may take rides to shorten our time."

  "Also, tickets aren't cheap. " May added, "We should get some bounties just in case, while we are in familiar territory."

  A distant whistle cut through the air. Heron turned toward the sound.

  "That's it," Almir said, pointing down the tracks. "Coming from the west."

  At first, Heron saw only a dark shape in the distance. Then it resolved itself. It was a massive vehicle moving along the rails, pulling a chain of cars behind it. Steam poured from its stack, and sunlight glinted off copper plating. The ground began to tremble beneath their feet.

  The steamwagon slowed as it approached the station, brakes screeching against the rails. It was larger than Heron had imagined. The engine was clad in curved copper panels that had aged to a rich bronze patina with a rounded nose. Rivets lined the seams where metal plates joined, and circular windows dotted the sides. Brass pipes and fittings ran along its body, some releasing small bursts of steam. The stack rose from the top, belching white smoke into the air.

  Behind the engine sat the coal car, its open top showing the black fuel within. Then came two passenger cars with wooden paneling and small windows, followed by six freight cars, all connected by heavy couplings.

  The vehicle came to a stop with a final hiss as the pressure was released. Steam billowed across the platform, carrying the sharp smell of coal smoke, hot metal, and something acrid that made Heron's nose wrinkle.

  "What's that smell?" Heron asked, covering his nose.

  Almir pointed to a worker near the track holding a long rod with a colored glass bulb at the end. "Those signal lamps burn sulfur mixed with other chemicals. When steam gets released, it also spreads the smell, unfortunately."

  A handful of people disembarked from the passenger cars. Workers immediately began unloading cargo while others prepared the waiting goods for loading.

  "The whole thing runs on air pressure," Almir said, his voice carrying the enthusiasm as if this were his craft. "Steam heats water, water creates pressure, pressure drives pistons. Those pistons turn the wheels."

  "Where does the steam come from?" Heron asked.

  "Coal furnace in the engine car. That's where the fireman works, shoveling coal to keep the heat up."

  Heron watched as workers moved between the freight cars and the platform. Crates of tools and manufactured goods from the cities were unloaded, while barrels of wine, sacks of grain, and bundles of wool from Vincha were loaded on.

  But his sighting was interrupted when, near the passenger car, raised voices cut through murmurs.

  Two men in fine traveling clothes had cornered someone against the side of the car. The figure wore tattered robes and clutched wrapped robes to her chest.

  Steam locomotive concept art